News
Thailand news, politics, business, crime, lifestyle, and tourism—stay updated with breaking news and in-depth analysis from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and beyond. The Thaiger delivers the latest national news that matters.
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Sponsored 5 ways retirees in Thailand lose money (and how to stop it)
Retiring in Thailand can be affordable and enjoyable, but many retirees lose money due to common mistakes. High living costs, scams, and unexpected expenses can quickly drain savings. There are five ways that retirees in Thailand can lose money and...
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Thai woman drowns while taking diving lessons in Chon Buri
A 35 year old Thai woman drowned yesterday while taking a diving lesson near Koh Juang in the Sattahip district of Chon Buri. The woman, Hathaya Rimpanawet, was diving with other students offshore when a strong current pulled her beneath the water with a 10 kilogram counterweight attached to her wrist. The woman’s diving instructor, Tararat Thianpajeekun, says he, and…
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US Defense Secretary visits PM Prayut in Bangkok
Yesterday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in a bid to “reinforce” longstanding military ties between the two nations, which date back to 1818. Austin and PM Prayut, who is also Minister of Defence, “shared perspectives on regional security issues, and discussed opportunities to strengthen the US – Thai alliance,” according to the US Defense…
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Russians overtook Chinese as Phuket condo kings in Q1
A leading Thai real estate consultancy firm revealed Russia was the No.1 country for buying apartments in Phuket in the first quarter of 2022, with 74 properties worth 245 million baht. China was previously the Phuket condo kings but thanks to the mainland’s zero-Covid-19 policy, the former Soviet state has surpassed Chinese buyers in the holiday resort, with Q1’s total…
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Malaysia’s Cabinet agrees to abolish mandatory death penalty
Malaysia’s Cabinet voted in favour of abolishing the mandatory death penalty. According to proposed changes to the law announced on Friday, the death penalty would not be abolished completely, but Malaysian judges would no longer be forced to issue the mandatory death penalty for 11 types of serious crimes, including drug offences, kidnapping, murder and terrorism. Malaysia’s parliament will still…
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PM says police will defend themselves if protestors don’t respect the law
PM Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday asked demonstrators to respect the law, stating that the police are capable of protecting themselves if they are assaulted by anti-government demonstrators. The PM says he is unconcerned about demonstrations as long as the coordinators obtain the necessary permits and follow the law. The 68 year old politician warned teenagers who attended the protest to consider…
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Thai OnlyFans couple who turned holiday resort into a porn shoot wanted by police
Police are looking for a Thai OnlyFans couple who turned the popular holiday resort of Wang Nam Khiao into a porn shoot setting. Three of the couple’s sex tapes were circulated online yesterday in secret group chats in the popular Thai Line application. The videos, which soon went viral, feature the couple having sex in a resort room with a…
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UPDATE: Thai couple murdered in Taiwan
UPDATE: Last week, A Thai man murdered a Thai couple in Taiwan – the woman pregnant with twins – and stuffed their bodies into the trunk of a BMW in Taoyuan city near the capital Taipei. The prime suspect, a Thai man from Ubon Ratchathani, fled Taiwan to his home in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, on Thursday. By the time…
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Cryptocurrency crash: what is happening?
The global market of cryptocurrency dipped below US$1 trillion to $962 billion for the first time yesterday since 2020. Bitcoin fell below US$23,000, hitting its lowest point since December 2020. Over the weekend, Ethereum collapsed by 24%, falling to its lowest level in more than 14 months. Meanwhile, crypto lending company Celsius froze withdrawals for its customers yesterday, claiming it…
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Police investigate death of 2 teens and elderly man in Pattaya road accident
Police are investigating the death of 2 teenagers and an elderly man after they died in a road accident in Ban Bueng, Chon Buri, on Sunday. Emergency services were called to the scene of the accident in the Nong Chark sub-district and found the bodies of two 14 year old boys by the side of a damaged motorbike and a…
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The best sea-view villas in Phuket
Sponsored We spend much of our time glued to our screens, and sometimes we just need to step back and relax in an environment ideal for unwinding. Just imagine waking up to the blue sea and the skies in your private villa surrounded by nature. Phuket, home to the stunning turquoise sea and lush greenery, boasts beautiful villas that are…
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Thailand warms to drop temperature checks
The Ministry of Public Health will suggest to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration to remove temperature measurement devices and checkpoints from all the country’s airports and other locations throughout Thailand because there is no evidence proving that the checks prevent the spread of coronavirus. The Head of the Health Technical Office from the Ministry of Public Health, Rungruang Kitphati,…
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Fire jellyfish warning in Krabi, southern Thailand
Red flags were raised to warn tourists not to swim on one beach in Krabi, southern Thailand, after large numbers of “fire jellyfish” washed up on the shore yesterday. Morbakka fenneri, known as the “fire jellyfish,” doesn’t get its name from its pinkish-red colour but from its potent sting. Thousands of small but venomous fire jellyfish washed up on Hong…
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Thailand’s tsunami warning system still works, says Disaster Department
Thailand has worryingly lost connection with two tsunami detection buoys, but the country’s tsunami warning system is still effective, insists the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, or DDPM. Indian authorities recently recovered one of the buoys in the Indian Ocean after the department lost contact with it on October 22 last year. The department is trying to recover a…
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Man changes surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate cannabis decriminalisation
A Thai man in the Isaan province of Buriram has changed his surname to “Ganjaram” to celebrate the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand. He says his pregnant wife had already checked the surname’s meaning and found it had a good essence, and added his newborn baby, expected to born on June 22, will be proud of him. On Friday, one…
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China opens naval base in Cambodia, officials go swimming together to celebrate
Despite experts predicting that ASEAN nations would not pick sides between the US and China, Cambodia seems to be cozying up to its powerful Chinese neighbour, with officials even going for a dip in the sea together. Cambodia’s Minister of Defense Tea Banh and Chinese Ambassador Wang Wentian were spotted bathing in the sea together after the opening ceremony of…
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Chaokoh deny any monkey business amid PETA investigation
Thai coconut-milk producer Chaokoh say there is no monkey business going on in the production of their products, in response to a PETA investigation. The US-based animal rights non-profit organisation conducted an investigation in 2019 singling out Chaokoh for the abuse of young monkeys in Thailand. PETA’s report alleged monkeys are “chained, abused, and forced to climb trees to pick…
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Minimum Thai wage up to 650 baht for 16 careers
The Thai Royal Gazette has now officially announced the increase of the minimum Thai wage for workers in 16 careers, focusing on workers in construction, service and industrial industries. The wage is increased up to 650 baht per day from the former rate of about 313 – 336 baht per day. The policy was launched on June 10 and would…
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Elderly Thai couple marry after knowing each other for 10 days
An elderly couple from Phetchabun, northern Thailand, got married yesterday after knowing each other for a total of 10 days. The lovebirds met on the ridge of Pak Huay Dam in Khon Kaen and it wasn’t long before they decided to get married and live with each other in their old age. The 72 year old groom Nuan Mala did…
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Thai couple murdered in Taiwan by a Thai man
Thai police is expecting a call from Taiwan officials to help find a man accused of killing a Thai couple last week. The bodies of the couple were discovered in a parked car outside the Taoyuan high-speed train station on Friday. The killings are believed to be linked to a disagreement over money lending. The bodies of the couple were…
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Farmers feed cannabis to chickens in northern Thailand
Chickens at a farm in Lampang, northern Thailand, are in a “good mood” after the antibiotics in their chicken feed were replaced with cannabis. Not only are the chickens showing higher immunity against disease, but they also have a lower body fat percentage than usual, making for a delicious Khao Man Gai – or chicken rice – according to one…
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Police step up search for minister’s missing father
Police stepped up a search for the missing father of a government minister charged with land encroachment by Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission. Soonthorn Vilawan, father of Deputy Education Minister Kanokwan Vilawan, is allegedly on the run after failing to turn up in court on Thursday to face charges of forest encroachment. The NACC told media Thursday the anti-graft watchdog had…
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CCSA to consider more suggestions on lifting Covid restrictions
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on Friday will consider more suggestions in regards to lifting Covid restrictions, with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha insisting that public safety is still a priority. Adjusting the colour-coded Covid concept and relaxing the rules for nightclubs will be among the recommendations discussed. The CCSA is open to any new ideas and recommendations from different parties…
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Take your pet on board Bangkok – Chiang Mai flights with Nok Air
Nok Air have launched a “Pet On Board” scheme for holidaymakers who wish to take their animal on board the airline’s domestic Bangkok – Chiang Mai flight route. The airline is offering round trips from Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport to Chiang Mai for 12,999 baht, which includes airfare for 2 people and 1 pet. In a statement posted on Facebook,…
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Mae Sot district proposed as site of Thailand’s 1st official casino
An Entertainment Complex Committee, set up by the government, has proposed Mae Sot district in the northern province of Tak as an ideal location for Thailand’s first legal entertainment complex, with a casino. The committee has announced that they’ve gathered all information from their survey, both negative and positive, and is ready to submit the findings to the Thai cabinet.…
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Two Indian tourists die in motorbike accident on Koh Samui mountain
Two Indian tourists have died in a motorbike incident yesterday evening on the Thai Gulf island of Koh Samui, southern Thailand. The pair were driving down the Khao Pom mountain on a rented motorbike when they crashed into a barrier on a curved road. The men’s bodies were found on the mountainside. At 6:30pm yesterday, Koh Samui Police Station received…
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Governor pledges to make Bangkok better for its most vulnerable
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt called for “cooperation” after he pledged to make the city better after chairing a task force meeting designed to help improve lives of the city’s most vulnerable. The 56 year old city chief met with several associations on how best to promote the rights and interests of those most vulnerable in the metropolis. Attendees included associations…
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How Thailand plans to transition into the endemic phase
Thailand will begin to “relax” Covid-19 restrictions in the coming weeks as the country shifts into the “endemic phase.” “U2” and “3Por” measures will be implemented to ensure public health and safety during the transition, according to Thailand’s Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA. The next CCSA meeting will be held on Friday, June 17. The Ministry of Public Health will…
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Thai nightlife midnight closing time under pressure this week
The current ‘official’ closing time for nightlife venues, in 31 provinces around Thailand (yellow and blue zones), is midnight. That all kicked in at the start of this month. But, hey, it’s Thailand and there’s also been plenty of venues, particularly in the tourist zones, where the midnight close time has been stretched a bit. But some netizens have noticed…
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Nightlife closing times, revised mask requirements and more land border re-openings
Thailand’s Covid taskforce are meeting this week to consider three proposals made from around various Ministries and industry stakeholders. It’s going to be a pivotal week for the CCSA. Announcements are expected by this Friday. One of them is to remove the requirement to wear face masks in public, although it is widely considered that, even if this concession is…
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UN to take high ground on Thailand’s decision to delist cannabis
The United Nations is likely to take the high ground following Thailand’s controversial decision to delist cannabis, says an adviser to the UN’s International Narcotics Control Board. Thai-born Viroj Sumyai, who served as president of the UN’s INCB from 2017 to 2018, says Thailand will have to answer to the UN, and added that if it decides the bill violates…
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